Bellanca 7ECA N990WY

Summary

On 16 December 1995 at about 20:20 local time, a Bellanca 7ECA registered N990WY was involved in an accident near Mason, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 December 1995 at 20:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Mason, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Private (NONE)

Coordinates

42.5795, -84.4395

Aircraft

Bellanca 7ECA

Registration

N990WY

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI96LA055

1 person was seriously injured.

the improper application of the throttle by the pilot resulting in a delayed engine response, and the improper decision by the pilot to make a long fast touchdown requiring the need to take off under powerlines.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was making a touch-and-go from his home strip. He planned his pattern so as to touch down fast to practice a two-wheel touch-and-go. The airplane touched down halfway down the strip. When the pilot applied power for takeoff, the engine did not respond. The pilot described the engine's sound as being 'like someone putting a hand over the carburetor. It (the engine) was going, but not picking up any rpm.' The pilot advanced the throttle, retarded it and then advanced it again. Because the airplane was now two-thirds of the way down the runway, the pilot continued the takeoff. The pilot's private strip has a powerline which crosses over the strip 175 feet prior to the end. As the airplane went under the powerline, the engine responded with full power, and the airplane's left wing struck a utility pole which supports the powerline along the side of the strip. The airplane struck two trees and a wood fence before it nosed over in a ditch along the side of a road. Examination of the wreckage disclosed flight control continuity and no mechanical anomalies in the engine and engine controls.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.